Study shows informal settlements remain challenge in south-eastern Europe

Greater efforts are needed in the South-Eastern European countries to legalise informal settlements and prevent future illegal construction, a study presented Wednesday at a workshop here focusing on the challenges of informal settlements showed.

The study is a joint effort by a special team from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which builds on the conclusions of the 2009 UNECE publication "Self-made Cities: In Search of Sustainable Solutions for Informal Settlements in the UNECE Region".

According to the study, in 2014, there were some 3.5 million informal buildings (constructed without building permits) in the region, including approximately 2,500,000 in Greece, 500,000 in Albania, 350,000 in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and 130,000 in Montenegro.

The study recommends a range of actions to address informal settlements, including simplified processes for housing and construction permits, strengthened private property rights, the effective implementation of legalization measures for all kinds of properties, major public involvement in the legalization process and the enforcement of clear formalization laws that are designed in order to protect the environment, encourage secure tenure and promote economic growth.

Over the last 25 years, informal settlements have become an increasingly important and urgent issue in the UNECE region. This dates back to the early 1990s as a result of the political and economic changes in Eastern Europe and the former-Soviet countries coupled with rapid urbanization and uncontrolled, massive internal migration due to poverty, conflicts, marginalization and natural disasters. Endit